J.S. Woodsworth

James Shaver Woodsworth (29 July 1874-21 March 1942) was a Canadian social democratic politician who founded the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, leading it from 1 August 1932 to 21 March 1942. A former Methodist preacher, he was known as "the social conscience of Canada".

Biography
James Shaver Woodsworth was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 1874, and he was ordained a Methodist minister in 1896. During his ministry among immigrant slum dwellers in Winnipeg he became poltiicized, supporting trade unions and leaving the church in 1918 in protest against its support for World War I. Briefly imprisoned for his support of the Winnipeg general strike in 1919, he was elected to the House of Commons in 1921. In 1926, he managed to use his support for Mackenzie King to secure the introduction of old-age pensions, which became the pillar of the Canadian welfare state. In 1933, he was chosen to lead the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. A lifelong pacifist, he was the only parliamentarian to record his opposition to Canada's entry into World War II.